Readings in Medieval Philosophy

Edited by Andrew B. Schoedinger

This anthology of medieval philosophy collects 54 readings-many of them not widely available--by the most important and influential Christian, Jewish, and Muslim philosophers of the Middle Ages. The readings are organized into nine thematic sections; the six readings comprising each section are arranged chronologically within it, each preceded by a biographical note on the author and a brief explanatory introduction.

Readings in Medieval Philosophy

Edited by Andrew B. Schoedinger

Description

The most comprehensive collection of its kind, this unique anthology presents fifty-four readings--many of them not widely available--by the most important and influential Christian, Jewish, and Muslim philosophers of the Middle Ages. The text is organized topically, making it easily accessible to students, and the large selection of readings provides instructors with maximum flexibility in choosing course material. Each thematic section is comprised of six chronologically arranged readings. This organization focuses on the major philosophical issues and allows a smooth introduction to the material. The topics covered are: (1) The Existence of God, (2) Ethics and the Problem of Evil, (3) God's Foreknowledge and Free Will, (4) Theology, (5) Political Philosophy, (6) Knowledge and Sensation, (7) Universals, (8) Logic and the Philosophy of Language and (9) Physics. Each text is preceded by a biographical note on the author and a brief analytical introduction. Unlike other anthologies, which present sources as a series of truncated excerpts, this collection avoids intrusive editing and includes many selections in their entirety, thus preserving the rich flavor of the medieval mind at work.

Readings in Medieval Philosophy

Edited by Andrew B. Schoedinger

Table of Contents

PART I: THE EXISTENCE OF GOD 1. The Free Choice of the Will, Book II, Chapters 3-15, St. Augustine2. The Proof of God's Existence from The Metaphysica of Avicenna, Avicenna3. Proslogium, Preface and Chapters I-IV; An Appendix in Behalf of the Fool by Gaunilon and Anselm's Apologetic, St. Anselm and Gaunilon4. The Trinity, Or The First Principle, Chapters I-III, William of Auvergne5. Summa Theologica Part I: Question I, Articles 1 and 2; Question II, Articles 1, 2 and 3, St, Thomas Aquinas6. "On the Existence of God" from A Treatise on God as First Principle, John Duns ScotusPART II: ETHICS AND THE PROBLEM OF EVIL 7. "The Nature of Evil" from The Divine Names, Chapter Four, Pseudo-Dionysius8. The Improvement of the Moral Qualities, Solomon Ibn Gabirol9. Ethics, Prologue and Chapters I-XVI, Peter Abelard10. Laws Concerning Character Traits, Moses Maimonides11. "Disputed Questions Concerning Evil" from De Malo; Question One, Articles 1-4 and Question Three, Article 1, St.Thomas Aquinas12. God and Creatures; The Quodlibetal Questions; Question 18, Articles I-III, John Duns ScotusPART III: GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE AND FREE WILL 13. The Consolation of Philosophy, Book V, Boethius14. Foreknowledge and Free Choice, Chapters 1-4, St. Anselm15. "On God's Knowledge" from On the Harmony of Religion and Philosophy, Averroes16. "God's Causality and Foreknowledge"; Quodlibeta, III, Question iii and Ordinatio, D. XXXVIII, Question unica, William of Ockham17. The Wars of the Lord, Book III, Divine Knowledge, Levi ben Gerson18. A Quodlibetal Question on Future Contingents Disputed at Louvain in the year 1465, Peter de RivoPART IV: THEOLOGY 19. On the Immortality of the Soul, St. Augustine20. Letter to Charlemagne: On the Being (Substantia) of Nothing and Shadows, Fridugisus of Tours21. "On the Trinity" from Periphyseon, Book II; 561C-579D, John Scotus Eriugena22. Letter on Divine Omnipotence, Selections, St. Peter Damian23. Grace and Free Choice, St. Anselm24. Disputed Questions on the Mystery of the Trinity; Question II, Articles I and II, St. BonaventurePART V POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY 25. The Perfect State, Section V; Chapter 15, Al-Farabi26. The Policraticus, Book Four, Prologue and Chapters I-IV, John of Salisbury27. On Kingship to the King of Cyprus, Book One, Chapters I, II and VI, Book Two, Chapter III, St. Thomas Aquinas28. On Royal and Papal Power, Prologue and Chapters 1-7, John of Paris29. The Defender of Peace, Discourse One, Chapters II and VIII-XIII, Marsilius of Padua30. Eight Questions on the Power of the Pope, Question II, Chapters I and VII; Dialogus de Potestate Papae et Imperatoris, Part III: Treatise ii; Book II, Chapters 26-28, William of OckhamPART VI: KNOWLEDGE AND SENSATION 31. The Trinity, Selections on Knowledge, St. Augustine32. Summa Theologica, Part I, Question LXXXIV, Articles 6-8; Question LXXXV, Articles 1-8: Question LXXXVI, Articles 1-4 and Question LXXXVIII, Articles 1-3, St. Thomas Aquinas33. Disputed Questions on Faith and Knowledge, Question I, Matthew of Aquasparta34. Two Letters to Bernard of Arezzo, Nicolaus of Autrecourt35. Commentary on Aristotle's De Anima, Book II, Questions 9-11, Jean Buridan36. Prologue and Chapter One, "On the Causes of Marvels Involving Vision, from De causis mirabilium, Nicole OresmePART VII: UNIVERSALS 37. Glosses on Porphyry from Logica Ingredientibus, "On Universals", Peter Abelard38. The Metalogicon, Book II, Chapters 17-20, John of Salisbury39. Concerning Being and Essence, Introduction and Chapters 1-4, St. Thomas Aquinas40. The Principle of Individuation, Questions One-Six, John Duns Scotus41. Summa logicae, Part I, Chapters 14-17; Quodlibet 4, Question 35 and Quodlibet 5, Questions 12 and 13, William of Ockham42. "On Universals", Walter BurleyPART VIII: LOGIC AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF LANGUAGE 43. On Division, Boethius44. Introduction to Logic, Chapter Five, "Properties of Terms", William of Sherwood45. "Treatise on Distributions" from Summulae Logicales, Peter of Spain46. "The Nature of Logic" and "Dialectic and Demonstration" from De ortu scientiarum, Robert Kilwardby47. Sophismata, Chapter VIII, "Insolubles", John Buridan48. "On Entailment Propostions" from Logica Magna, Paul of VenicePART IV: PHYSICS 49. On Light, Robert Grosseteste50 Letter to Sigerus de Foucaucourt: On the Magnet. Peter Peregrinus of Maricourt51. Opus Majus, Part IV: Distinctions I, II and III, Roger Bacon52. Perspectiva communis, Part II, Reflection, John Pecham53. "The Impetus Theory of Projectile Motion" from Questions on the Eight Books of the Physics of Aristotle, Book VIII, Question 12; "On the Free Fall of Bodies" and "On the Diurnal Rotation of the Earth" from Questions on the Four Books on the Heavens and the World of Aristotle, Book II, Questions 12 and 2254. Concerning Experiments in Weight, Nicholas of Cusa